Railroad-crossing safety device



' 1927. June ca. P. SPRINGFIELD RAILROAD CROSSING SAFETY DEVICE 0% 2 Zfl av 2M ....0 .2 7 M Jo k l g k 0. 4A% 9 w w a 2 w a i A M 6 m 0 F z a7/ 74 z z m OZ 5 4 5 m 1 J 4 0 M o 0 My; w

Patented June 7, 1927.

cairn is'ara GARLAND r. srrn ixiGe atin, or iiv i: isvrLLizi,IniiIAi'vA, Assiivon or ONE-HALF 'ro RAYMOND 0. SMITH, or vennnasuneCOUNTY, INDIANA.

nAiLRoAn-cnossme SAFETY nnvrcn;

Application filed August so, 1926. Serial Nb. 132,514;

This invention relates to a railroad crossing safety device adapted tobe arranged ists recklessly drive their automobiles on the track eventhough the signal is flashing .or ringing to indicate the approach of atrain. My invention provides means for raising a barrier which willprevent any vehicle,

such as an automobile, from passing on to is the track when a train isapproaching, said barrier being automatically operated by the trainregardless of whether the signals are functioning or are out of order.

My invention enables the driver of the vehicle to back off of thecrossing if trapped between the barriers, or, if hehas'time to get oifthe crossing, to permit him to pass to the other side. However, if-thevehicle arrives at the crossing after the barrier has been set, it isimpossible for the vehicle to pass on to'the crossing although suchvehicle may be damaged if the attempt is made. I

A practical embodiment of the. invention is set forth hereinafter and isshown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1, is a vertical section, the barriers being raised; 1

' Fig. 2, is a plan View, the barriers being lowered. Fig. 3, is adetail viewv of the spring connection for the barrier or gate, thebarrier being shown aspartially depressed.

On oppositev sides of the crossing 3 are 4 which, as shown, are'in theform of bails of heavy construction which aremounted in bearings 5 sothat they may be swungupwardly as shown in Fig. l'by means herein: afterdescribed, or may be arranged-horizontally sunk below the crossing 3 asshown in full lines in Fig. 2 or swung backward "by a vehicle passingofi of the crossing as 'illustrated in Fig.1 by dotted lines.

. The dotted lines 4 Fig. 1 illustrate the f adaptability ofthe'barriers or gates 4to be swung down whenthey are in raised or safetyposition if the vehlcle istrapped berent.

located swinging or hinged barriers or gates tween them and the drivereither desires to back off ofthe crossing or, finding he has time topass, decides to drive over the crossing. The arrows (1 indicate thisaction. On the other hand, the arrows 6 indicate thedirection ofapproach of. a vehicle to. the crossing and the manner in which thebarriers or gates prevent the vehicle running onto the crossing.

The track appears at iances on either side ofthe crossing trackinstruments or electrical contacts 7 are provided by, which the traincompletesthe elec- 6. At suitable. dis- (ill trical circuits 9 whichsupply the current for operating the means for raising gates 4.

Any suitable source of current, such as a battery maybe used forfurnlshing the ourwill utilize electrical current from batteries oraccording to any approved practice whereas installations on electricroads may derive the current from the trolley or third rail.

Installations used on steam railroads,

Barriers 4 are operated by electric motors 10 whose shafts carry thepinions '11 which mesh with gears 12 on the Vertical shafts 13,

v the latter being suitably mounted in bearings 14. Slidably mounted onthe shafts l3 are collars 15 provided with pins 16. Governor balls l8arecarried by arms 19,'which are pivoted to the collars 15 and t0thebearings 14. Bell-crank-levers 20 which are suitably mounted atfl21have one arm slottedat 22 to receive the pins 16. The other arms of thebell-crank-levers areslotted at 23 to receive the arms 24 which areconnected to the gates or barriers 4. The barriers or gates 4 arepivoted to arms 24' and permitted to yield in relation to the arms 24 to"assume-the positions shown at 4 f when a vehiclebacksoif of thecrossing :or passes from the crossing away from This arrangementcomprises a spring tension means 'consistingof the pivoted :cup 25 anda. contractile coil spring 26,"the'cup being pivoted to the bracket 27,said bracket being cast in a single piece with the arm 24'. Normally,the barriers 4 are in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 2, but if avehicle is trapped between the two barriers 4 after they have beenraisedby the approach of a train, the driver can advance and depress thebarrier 4 which is in. frontjof him, or, he

.105; 3 can-back off of thecrossing and depress that barrier. Thearrows, and dotted lines, Fig. 1, show how the barriers may be depressedoutwardly in relation to the railroad track. In F ig. 3, the barrier isshown in partly depressed position, as would be the case when, after ithas been raised, it is run over by the vehicle but when it is released,the barrier a rises again and assumes the position shown in full lines,Fig. 1.v

Consequently, while the barrier may yield in the manner previously setforth, it cannot be depressed when the Vehicle attempts to run on to thecrossing, if said barrier is in raised position because the barrier isblocked bythe bracket 27. v H

Normally, the Weight oi the governor balls 18 will cause the collars 15to slide downwardly, thereby lowering the barriers below the crossingbut when .a train is approaching, the circuits are completed at 7 andthe motors 10 arev energized, thereby rapldly turning the shafts 13,causing governor balls 18 to swing upwardly, and raising the barv riers.

l'Vhen the train has passed, the circuits are .to bar the passage of avehicle, or to be lowered away from the track to permit passage from thecrossing, means being pr0- vided to prevent the gate or barrier frombeing swung downwardly toward the track when said barrier has beenraised, and power means for arranging and maintaining .the

gate or barrier in raised position consisting of a motor and a 'centri'lu gal weight-operated governor by which the barrier is r'aisedan'd keptin ralsedposition so long as the motor operates, the welghtsoi saidgovernor dropping and automatically lowering-the gate or barrier whenthe mot-or ceases to operate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

, GARLAND P. SPRINGFIELD.

